The Knight's Line
by Ron of Wolves
Summary: Almost one year after the events of Termina, Link now wanders the land of Hyrule in search of a way to help others. At the same time, however, darkness starts to manifest within the world. And against this darkness, the leader of an ancient order begins to heed the call to arms once more and begins preparations for the threat.
1. A New Path

Sore. That was all Link felt as he rode on Epona around the large plateau that was the home of Lon Lon Ranch, his shield resting heavily on his back as the moon shined full overhead. It had been several months since his adventures in Termina, and since that time he had gained a lot of experience during his time within the Lost Woods, eventually leaving with the aid of a fairy he had found shortly after his adventure in Termina. Right now, however, he had been trying to find something to do in living his life. He had initially wanted to join the Hylian soldiers, and even went to enlist with them, but they laughed when they saw that he was still only eleven, making him have to go and try to find a place to actually stay at. He had lived one final year in the Kokiri Forest, staying in his old home with Saria and the other Kokiri before he finally left the village, now spending his time traveling the land and dealing with the monsters that appeared. With how it looked, however, it seemed he would need to return to the Kokiri and stay for a while longer, at least until he'd be old enough to work in Hyrule…

As he made his way towards Lake Hylia to rest, he heard a large flapping overhead, causing him to look up to find a black mass zoom past him, clicking his heels to ride after it. _'What kind of creature is that?'_ Link thought, his own mind moving through the one's he knew as Epona jumped over one of the walls that had covered the plains. As he rode, he noticed the feathers on the mass becoming clearer in the moonlight, the shape now taking the form of a bird as it slowed down and landed upon a tree facing him, revealing a large owl as Link slowed Epona down to a trot. "It's been two years since you've been here, Link." Came the owl as Link stopped the horse in front of the tree, his face smiling as he looked at the familiar owl he had met during his time attempting to save Hyrule.

"Kaepora, I'm glad to see that you're still alive." Link spoke as he looked up at the owl, his own gaze overlooking the owl's feathers. Over the time he had last saw the owl, the birds feathers had remained unchanged, save for one that held a slight silver outlining that rested directly under the bird's beak. "So how has Hyrule been since I left it?"

"After you left Ganondorf returned to his home in the desert, and there hasn't been a sound from the Gerudo outside of small raids of the people around them for the past two years." Kaepora spoke, making Link's hands squeeze the reigns, remembering the King of Thieves and his time in the future. "It's almost eerily quiet over there when I flew overhead, too, oddly enough."

"Knowing what I do of Ganondorf, he's sure to be planning something…" Link spoke, his gaze soon moving down to Epona as the horse looked up at him. In the future timeline she was supposed to be given to Ganondorf as a gift from Ingo, and would've been too if he hadn't beat the man in a race and rode off with her. Along with this, the castle town had been destroyed and invested with the undead, and countless things were corrupted when Ganondorf had taken the Triforce of Power and proclaimed himself the King of Evil. Link then shook his head, silently reminding himself that that was no longer the future now as he looked up to the owl again. "So why have you come here?"

"I noticed you leaving the town with an enlistment form in you hand, despite what the soldiers had said to you before hand." Kaepora spoke, making Link flinch as he looked down at the reigns again. Though the men had told him no, he had snuck one of the papers from the desk while some of them were preoccupied with a rowdy man who had been shouting about the weakening of the Hylian guard, a veteran from the Hyrulean Civil War which claimed the lives of Link's parents, as he had discovered. "You've already dealt a devastating blow to Ganondorf, you've stopped him from ever entering the Sacred Realm through the Temple of Time for the moment, and have even prevented him from gaining the full power of the Triforce by claiming the Triforce of Courage. "

"How do you know about- right, you're the reincarnation of Rauru." Link spoke, remembering what he had learned from the Gossip stone near the forest temple, of Kaepora being the reincarnation of a sage. Rauru, the Sage he had met when he had drew the master sword and was sent forward seven years, was the only sage he had never met in his time as a child during his adventures, plus he saw more and more of Rauru's features when he looked at Kaepora. Link then leaned back in his saddle, placing his hands back to hold him there while Epona turned her head to look at him. "I don't know why I wasn't allowed to join simply because of my age, I've beaten all kinds of monsters and enemies that they would've never seen."

"But all they see is a child, not the hero of destiny." Kaepora responded, making Link look up at him, his mind cringing at the reminder. Though he had enough fights to make him a veteran, it meant nothing since he was still only a child compared to all the people around him. Kaepora then let out a noise that Link could guess was a chuckle, before his gaze looked back down at him. "If you truly want to find a better way to protect the people, and in a way that allows you more freedom rather than simply roaming the land, I can point you to a person who could allow you to gain that opportunity."

To that Link's ears perked up, soon sitting straight at attention as he placed his hands at the front of the saddle, raising him higher up. "There's a person who can help me?" Link asked as he looked at the owl, who once again made a chuckling sound. Despite all the things Link had done, Kaepora could still see that the boy was still a child at heart. "Is he like how I met you in the Sacred Realm?"

"In a sense." Kaepora spoke, his gaze looking down at Link as the boy looked up in wonder. "Back in the time before the Civil War had weakened this land, he led the Knights of Hyrule, a clan who intertwined their soldiers with the war so well that the group is considered legend by many as of now. During his time he had taken many feats, some of which could be considered even more difficult than the obstacles you had when aiding the Zora and Gorons. By the end of the war, however, he vanished into the life of a hermit, with only a handful even knowing of his location."

"But you know where he is?" Link asked, his gaze looking straight at the owl as a smile was clear on his face. "Could you tell me where he's living at?"

"He lives over to the southern entrance of the Lost Woods, which is hidden to all save for a certain few who know the path." Kaepora spoke, soon flapping his wings as his body rose with each beat. "If you truly wish to meet him, then wait for the morning to come and follow the trail of Lake Hylia. When you are traveling down the path, there will be a small trail up to the higher terrain surrounding the central plains of the kingdom, the location unnoticeable to all except those who know to look for it. At the end of the trail, follow the path until you see a hut. It is there that the hermit lives."

With that, the owl flapped his wings a few times, rising up as Link watched the bird before it flew off towards the lake, soon snapping out of it when feeling Epona shuffling under him. "A warrior who had accomplished greater feats than I did for the Gorons and Zora…" Link spoke to himself as he patted epona, looking down at her. "Do you think he'll be as strong as Darunia, or as stealthy as Impa?"

Epona simply snorted as a reply, making Link laugh as he lightly tapped his heels into her, causing her to start to move towards the gate leading to Lake Hylia. _'Though I never saw a path every time I walked through there, even in the adult timeline…'_ Link thought to himself as Epona changed to a full gallop towards the gate. _'I think I'll sleep over with the scarecrows, and then start searching for the valley in the morning…'_

With that set in mind, he soon found himself galloping straight towards the entrance to the Lake, now gated over due to the night. With one extra click of his heels and a shout, however, Epona started galloping faster towards the gate, her form soon jumping over with ease as Link looked behind them, the gate now behind them. "Looks like you haven't gotten rusty since Termina, Epona." Link spoke as he patted the mare on the neck, getting a snort as a reply while the two continued their path to the lake, Links own mind now preparing for what could come.

* * *

Link rode carefully through the valley as he looked along the Eastern side of it, the side of which he knew the Kokiri forest sat on. He had rode along it a few times and found nothing when speeding through, so he had to slow down his pace to watch the cliff wall. _'Is there even a trail here?'_ Link thought to himself as he kept his gaze on the rocks, having already pulled out the Lens of Truth to look along it. As he started to look a bit further ahead, however, he noticed something on one of the formations as he put the Lens down. One part of the Cliffside immediately bumped out, the rest of the pathway after the bump leaving the valley wider all the way to the lake. Link soon tapped his heels into Epona, who started into a trot as Link kept his gaze on the cut in the valley. As it came closer, he noticed another few things about it, one being the ground seemed to level out more in that particular area than the rest of the cliff walls, and another being a small triangular mark placed at the end of it as well. When he reached it, however, he noticed something else: Between the two ridges was a small valley, the layout of the cliffs lining it making it seem as if the thing immediately cut off to the rest of the way to Lake Hylia, not a magical illusion hiding it but the formation of the rocks turning it into an illusion of the mind, making anyone who didn't give it a second glance think that it was just a normal part of the wall that didn't lead to anywhere.

"So then, do you think this is the place?" Link asked as he looked down at Epona, who simply snorted as Link moved his gaze back on the pathway. Despite what Kaepora said about it only being known about by a few, the road itself seemed fairly leveled, though rarely used. As he rode into the path on Epona, as well, he noticed that the road walls changed after a few yards in, slowly shortening and showing visual carvings on them as Link passed through, soon showing a clearing as Link continued. When he entered it, however, he was in utter awe: in front of him stood a large stone that blocked the path any further. Upon it was a large symbol of the Triforce, similar to what sat above the Door of time. Below it, however, were two swords that crossed in a wide x under the golden triangle. "Is this some sort warning for people?"

With that Link hopped off of Epona, walking up to the stone as the horse moved to rest over to the side of the cliff. As he did, however, the stone began to glow, making him stop momentarily and reach for his sword, his hand resting on the familiar hilt as he continued to approach the stone, which glowed brighter with each step. By the time he was right in front of it, the light coming off of it was almost blinding, while at the same time the stone itself seemed to be humming. Link slowly drew his sword as he squinted his eyes to see, the gold that had been tempered into the blade shining with the light as he pointing it at the stone. Immediately after, Link tapped the stone with his blade, causing the stone to shake as Link kept squinting at it, soon going silent again as Link took a defensive stance.

After a few more taps and getting the same result, Link sheathed his blade, soon walking further up to it and reaching his hand to the stone. _'What kind of stone is this?'_ Link thought to himself before he placed his left hand on it, expecting the stone to shake again. Instead, however, the light began to condense into a circle around his hand, the symbol of the Triforce soon shining on the back of his hand, causing Link to jump back in shock, the stone soon returning to it's full on blast of light again as he looked at his hand, the symbol of the Triforce fading. _'What in Din's name…'_

Link looked at his hand in confusion, his eyes opening up more as they were getting accustom to the light pouring off of the stone, before he walked up and placed his hand on it again, the light once again condensing around his hand with the Triforce shining bright. Link just stared at it in shock as the light soon enveloped his hand, causing a tingling feeling to surround it as the light began to swirl into four different colors of red, blue, green, and gold. As it did this, as well, the words of an old voice began to sound in his mind; the words it spoke coming off as commanding while at the same time making Link feel at ease.

' _Who are you that dares to enter this sacred place?'_ Came the voice in Link's mind, leaving a small gap of silence for Link to process the words before it spoke again. _'For what reason have you come?'_

Link just kept quiet as he stared at the statue, his mind in shock from the voice that had come into his head. He had remembered something similar happening before back at the Shadow Temple, when a voice had told him of the requirements to go through the temple. However, it was still confusing over the fact that the voice currently in his head was asking who he was.

"…My name is Link." Link finally spoke, his thoughts now focusing on the voice as he looked to the stone in front of him. "I was told by the owl Kaepora that there was a hermit around here who could help me in finding a way to defend Hyrule."

' _So you seek the hermit of the southern pass, who remains the guardian of the old ways.'_ Replied the voice as the light soon moved up Link's arm, engulfing him before he had a time to react. _'Then you shall be tested by the ideals of your spirit.'_

With that Link started to feel warm, the light seeming to go into him as he looked at it in awe. As he did, small visions started to fill his head as the light slowly went into him; a battalion of armored knights, all wearing full plated armor with purple cloth under it, standing in front of the Hylian King in one vision, while an event of several knights holding back an army of monsters from a forest appeared in another. Then, he saw a man standing against several knights with a longsword drawn, his blonde hair seeming to be blown back as he held a defensive stance, a horse riding away from him as he stared at the men in front of him. Link, for some reason, felt a sudden ping at his heart as the scene faded, returning to the area around him as the light began moving from the rock completely and encircled him. As he looked back to the stone, the light covering it now all but faded, he lifted his hand to find a small white gem resting beneath it. When he placed his hand on it again, however, the gem glowed, soon pushing out and into his palm as a small chain formed on it, wrapping around his arm as the gem fell.

' _You have been deemed worthy to enter the graves of the knights due to passing the Trials of Virtue, and are proven a Knight of Hyrule due to the lineage of your family.'_ Came the voice again, this time humming from the gem as the center of the boulder started to fade in front of Link. Epona, in the meantime, soon got up and walked over to Link, noticing the change in scenery as the boulder soon had a large gap inside of it big enough for both Link and Epona to fit in. _'The one who you seek, the caretaker of the resting place of the Knights, resides further in. Welcome, Hero of Destiny.'_

With that said, the glow upon the stone vanished, and silence soon filled Link's head as he picked himself up onto Epona. _'Trials were supposed to be taken?'_ Link thought as he tapped his heels into Epona's sides lightly, the two soon moving slowly into the pathway that appeared as Link processed through what he could know. As he moved his hand into his pouch to grab one of his bottles, the contents of each being of milk from his last time in Lon Lon Ranch, he felt a familiar stone seem to fall onto his hand. Link just pulled it out confused, the glint of green and gold coming off of it as he held it up into the sun. The Kokiri Emerald, the first stone he had gained from his travels, and the only one he had left. After his adventure ended, he returned the Goron Ruby to Darunia and the Zora's Sapphire to Ruto, but when he had offered the emerald back to the Kokiri, Saria had stopped him from even trying. _'Now that I remember correctly, the stones each had their own ordeals in order to obtain each from the tribes… Does that mean that the stone considered my adventures as the trials it was talking about?'_

With that thought in mind, Link soon put the stone back in its pouch as he finally made it into a clearing. In front of him was a wide area covered in grass, save for a single stone walkway that led into the forest. In between the walkway and the forest entrance, however, stood a stone that seemed similar to the one he had just passed, except this one held a different carving and picture, this one more detailed. Upon it was a drawing of seven knights, each one holding a different outfit and seal, the one in the center wearing a tunic similar to Links as he looked at it in wonder, soon turning his gaze to find something else. Beside the stone sat a small hut, and past that was a large array of trees, grown so wide and close together that it would've been impossible to even walk around them, let alone through them. They also stood leagues above the trees he had seen in the Kokiri Forest, the towering trees overhead giving an eerie feeling as Link slowly rode to the hut.

Link soon heard a loud hoot as a shadow flew overhead, making Link look up to see Kaepora fly overhead and towards the hut, soon landing in front of it before staring over at Link, who rode up to the place. Link soon rode over to the hut as he looked over at the large stone beside it, the etchings on the stone showing various depictions of knights, leading to the top of it. Each knight, however, held a different set of armor, and above each was a name carved in an unrecognizable dialect. If Navi were here, she would've probably known the language and translated it easily.

"Good to see that you've arrived." Kaepora spoke as Link slowed Epona to a trot, looking at the owl as they motioned to the hut. It was then that Link noticed the design of the hut; though the place around it seemed to be ancient compared to many of the places in Hyrule outside of the Temple of Time, the house itself showed no signs of it despite being made mainly of wood. Along with this, there was a shield that sat at the top of the doorway, the design remarkably similar to the shield he had bought at Hyrule market at the same time he had started his quest, now currently sitting on his back. The owl soon noticed his gaze upon the symbol on the hut, nodding its head to it as Link rode past the bird and towards the small building. "The shield design was used by those who were of the Hylian Knights, and seemed to be so highly regarded that the populace had several different copies made. Unlike the one you got at the Bazaar, however, it is far more durable than it would give off."

"It's made from Sky Ore, a blue metal that is said to have fallen from the sky back before the rise of Hyrule." Came a voice from the cabin, making Link stop his approach immediately as an old man soon appeared from the darkness of the entrance, a staff firmly in his hand as he stepped fully out of the entrance. The man then chuckled as he looked up, lifting the staff and tapping the shield as he soon looked back at Link. "It is said to bear the blessing of Nayru and can turn any weapon or armor made from the metal into a solid defense from most magic and attacks, which is certainly the case for the shield up there. Understandable of the belief, too, given that Nayru's gift to us through the fairies was an ability that prevented damage."

Link just stared at the man in silence, looking him over as he got off of Epona. He held pure white hair and a long beard that went down to the middle of his chest, his outfit a long brown robe that had tears and weathering all along the seams and the sleeves themselves, though the small gold embroidery on the shoulders showed it had once held a sense of authority. The man's staff, as Link looked, held seven seals along its sides that could be visible, all of them the seals of the Six Sages. At the top of the staff sat a wooden medallion, carved upon it was three triangles with a bird resting under them; the Triforce.

"Not one for words, is he?" The old man chuckle, snapping Link out of his thoughts as he looked back at Kaepora, the old man now moving forward as his staff made a resounding tap with every step he took, causing Link to look down at the grass. Though the area was covered in grass, directly under it was stone, making the boys eyes widen with curiosity as the old man continued his pace. The old man, noticing his gaze, simply chuckled as he stopped right in front of him. "This place was originally a grand hall meant to honor those who had died protecting the people, now reduced to the entrance of the southern part of the forest within a few thousand years time. As such, the grass grew over the tiles and the area melded into becoming one with the forest beside it, though we managed to move most the stones that made up the walls and ceiling and moving the entirety of the place to a new area, though it remains the entryway to the hall of the dead."

"But you aren't here for stories, if I'm correct on my assumptions." The old man spoke as he looked down at Link, who just looked back up at him, now only realizing how few wrinkles were actually around the mans face and eyes that weren't covered by his beard. The old man then went down on one knee in front of Link, his staff still upright as he gazed in the boy's blue eyes with his own, his gaze holding a slightly darker blue. "So then, why have you come here? For some ancient knowledge or relics of the past? Or is it just to explore and find an adventure in every turn?"

Link just stared as his mind went through his own thoughts, trying to remember what he had come there to ask. "…I was told by Kaepora that you could help me find a way to help Hyrule." Link spoke finally, making the man in front of him smile as he stood up.

"So he does speak, and in whole sentences to boot." The old man spoke as he turned back to the hut, signaling Link to follow as he walked towards a small fire pit that was placed beside the house, a few stumps sitting around it like chairs. Link just followed silently as the old man moved one of the stumps with his foot, revealing them to have been cut as he adjusted it a bit more before sitting down, Link sitting down on the one opposite him as Kaepora moved up to the two. The old man then waved his hand over the pit, mumbling a few words before a spark appeared in it, soon turning into a roaring flame as the old man looked at Link, the smile still there. "Now then, before you ask someone for help, you normally have to give your name or an alias to them. It's a form of agreement for those you meet that you mean no harm."

"…Link." Link replied, keeping his gaze on the old man while trying to read him. Because of his time both in Termina and in the future, he had seen many different people, yet he had never even seen anyone like this old man before. What's more, the man had just formed a fire as casually as drawing a line, automatically telling Link just how powerful he could possibly be from his affinity of magic alone. "Forgive me if I sound rude, but what is your name?"

"Raven, though there's no need for you to be formal with me." The old man replied, holding his hand upon the fire as it started to steadily glow brighter, causing Link to look at it. What he saw within the fire, however, was himself, and in front of his fire counterpart was an image of the creature that had caused the death of the Deku Tree, Queen Gohma. "You fought through a lot two years ago, if I can gather right. Quite a feat in it's own to defeat such a beast at so young an age."

"How do you know that?" Link asked, looking at Raven in surprise this time as the old man smiled under his beard, waving his hand over the fire again as the flame returned to its orange glow. "And how did you create that image through the fire?"

"I'm among those who hold the affinity of magic, just as you, but my abilities were unlocked through months of training, and mastered only after a decade of constant study." Raven replied as he rested his staff on his shoulder, Link simply keeping his eyes on Raven as he set his hands on his lap. "It's one thing to know magic and use it in battle like you have from your visits with the Great Fairies, while another entirely to expand upon it. It was because of this that I could feel the ripples of fate the moment of the Great Deku Tree's death, and decided to follow your trail from then all the way to the Temple of Time."

"You knew about all that Ganondorf had done?" Link asked, his face now showing clear signs of anger at the man as they nodded. "Then if you're able to use magic to this extent, why didn't you do anything to stop him?"

"Now now, no need to get angry over things that have already occurred." Raven spoke as he raised his hand, widening his gaze at Link's clear anger before he looked over to Kaepora. "You can go if you wish, Kaepora, I'll take to speaking to the boy alone here on out."

"Of course." Kaepora responded, a slight hint of tension coming from his voice as he flapped his wings, soon rising and flying away as Raven looked back at Link. His anger didn't seem to waver, but he was thinking more on the man now. A man who, by all Link's knowledge, looked like he could've managed to stop Ganondorf before he even tried his gamble for the Sacred Realm. Raven simply sighed as he leaned back, looking at the boy as Link snapped out of his thoughts.

"So then, you're wondering why I never interfered, correct?" Raven asked, looking at Link as he placed his staff on the ground beside him. He then held up his hand over the flame again, causing the flame to change into a light blue glow, his hands soon returning to his side as he kept his gaze on the boy. "Let me ask you something beforehand; do you know what happened in the Hylian Civil War?"

Link only shook his head, confused by the question as the man's hand clenched into a fist, causing the flames to change into another scene, soldiers along opposing sides, all preparing to charge against each other. "It was a brutal war, one where brother fought brother, and the same could be stated about the Knights of the time." Raven spoke as he passed his hand through the flame, causing the scene to change into several armored figures facing off against one single man, the warrior holding both the Hylian Shield and a well made longsword that looked to be of a similar design to the master sword. "During the war, the Knights split into two factions, one that fought to defend the royal family, and the other seeking power. It probably marked one of the only times that the Knights of Hyrule have ever been split on opinions, and the first time that a internal war had been fought on such a wide scale that it was even fought alongside a civil war."

"What does this have to do with the fact that you stayed here?" Link asked, making Raven smirk as he looked to the fire, soon looking back to the boy as he looked at his left arm. "What reason would make you-"

"That reason that I remained here is because this became my own penance for my actions and inactions." The old man interrupted as his gaze hardened to a point made Link see the stress that was on the man. He then drew his left sleeve back as he continued his speech, revealing a arm far more toned and muscled than his robe and beard made him look, one that had to have been from constant battles and experience. Upon it, however, was a sigil of a phoenix, one that seemed to have been branded on his arm. "I'm guessing Kaepora had told you of my history if you came here?"

Link thought back to the night before, recalling the words Kaepora had said. "He said that you were the leader of the Knights of Hyrule, and fought in the war." Link spoke, recalling the little he was told before he hastily agreed to it. Raven simply smirked as he picked up his staff, stabbing it into the ground beside him as Link remembered the stone that led here, pulling the necklace with the white stone out of his bag.

"Indeed, I was the leader of the knights, still am despite my reclusiveness this past decade." Raven spoke as he looked to the fire, waving his hand over it as it changed again into an orange flame. "The conflict within the Knights was due to my own mistakes, my belief that all was right and my will to believe one of my closest allies, who later became one of the figureheads of the civil war. My lack of insight on how deep his hatred ran is what caused the deaths of many of my brothers."

"Now, before I continue, I'm sure that the stone which blocks the path leading to this place had spoken to you." Raven continued, making Link look at him confused before nodding. "What did it tell you?"

"Before I was able to enter here, the stone leading to this place stated I had been proven a true Knight of Hyrule for passing the Trials of Virtue." Link spoke, recalling the voice within it, and the scene's he was shown.

"Trials that come almost randomly from the area's we live in, tests by the Goddesses to see our resolve. These trials can only be undergone by those of the Knights Line, and it is only after this that those who undertake them can pull the Master Sword." Raven responded, making Link look up shocked as the man smirked, tapping his foot on the grass under them. "The ones used by our tribe that bare the same name, as well, are a set of trials that dictate which division of the Knights of Hyrule you'll be a part of, based specifically on how you take each and how skilled you are in taking them. Speaking of, what title did it call you by?"

"Title? You mean what it called me as I took the pendant?" Link asked, his confusion clear in his voice as he recalled the stone, and the voice it held. "…It called me the Hero of Destiny."

"Destiny, you say? Not of Legend?" Raven asked, his brow furrowed as he looked at Link, who simply nodded before a smile could be seen again. "Well, that is interesting, and something I never thought I'd see in my lifetime."

"What do you mean?" Link asked, looking at Raven confused before the man shook his head, soon standing up as he waved his hand over the flame again, this time the flame turning green.

"I'll explain it to you later on, but your previous question was why I didn't do anything to stop Ganondorf, correct?" Raven asked, Link soon nodding as the man held his hand to the flame and closing it into a fist, causing it to die out. "To be simply put, I was weak at the time. True, I could've left this place and gone to go fight him myself, but I would've died because of how clouded my mind was at the time."

"Past tense, meaning you were only like that during Ganondorf's attempt?" Link asked, noticing the pattern of the man's speech as Raven looked at the boy with a small smile.

"Are you sure you're only a child?" Raven asked as he grabbed his staff, pulling himself up as he turned to the large stone beside the forest, soon walking over to it as Link got up and followed suit. "Yes, I was clouded in my mind back then, but something happened that allowed my mind to clear, something that hadn't happened since I took my title as the leader of the Hylian Knights."

"And what was that?" Link asked, making Raven smile as he looked to the boy before he pulled the emblem off the top of his staff, revealing it to be a small disc that sat in the top of it as he pressed it into the stone. Then, the stone began to fade in the area that the disc had been pressed against, turning into a passageway within the stone that led into the forest, or what Link had thought was the forest. What was there, instead, was a long stone hallway, looking as well kept and cleaned as if it was part of a functioning castle or fortress.

"I found more to fight for than just the Royal family." Raven responded as he signaled for Link to follow again, the two soon stepping into the hallway. Despite it's surroundings covered in trees, the hallway itself was well lighted with a few torches on each wall, each torch evenly separated from the next as Raven continued his walk into the hallway, Link following suit as the entryway closed behind them. "Despite the failure of Ganondorf's attempt for power, there's no doubt in my mind that he'll return and try something again."

"What makes you so sure that he's going to?" Link asked as he looked to Raven, who only sighed as they came to a door at the end of the hallway. Raven then looked at him, his gaze seeming to show his age again as he looked down at the boy. "

"There have been many men like him, men who are ambitious enough to try and claim the land for themselves. Conquest is always from the actions of ambitious men, when plans of grandeur fail." Raven spoke as he opened the door, revealing a wide hallway, within which sat several tables and doorways. In the center of it rested a large circular platform, with a painting of two blades behind a shield that encompassed it. Raven entered it in a stride, Link following suit quickly as the old man continued. "His plans of deceit have failed, so he will turn to using the means of that which resides in the desert, be it the tribe of his Gerudo or the darker forces which reside within it."

"There's others within the desert?" Link asked, looking at Raven as the man nodded, his gaze unchanging as he continued his walk through the area.

"creatures as old as the kingdom itself. They had fought us once before, during which time it took me and two others to hold them back and seal them away." Raven spoke as he walked up onto the platform, his staff once again tapping on the surface and making Link stop in his walk and look down to the floor. Through the entire walk here, the man's staff hadn't even made a sound while they walked, and Link was sure he saw the man place it on the tiles in his walk. Link couldn't ponder it too long, however, before he heard a cough, making him look up to see Raven looking at him expectantly. "Are you coming?"

"Sure." Link spoke as he moved over to the man, soon stepping up onto the platform as he looked around the area. "What is this place?"

"A place where we used to hold initiations and several other events several hundred years ago, now used as a place for funerals of our brothers in arms that rest further in this keep." Raven spoke as he stood in the center of the ring, pointing his staff to the roof above them, causing Link to look up to see rings of knights standing in attention as they covered the roof long past the roof, the Triforce sitting in the center. "The history of this fortress dates back all the way to the founding of our order by the first known Hero of Legend, and each who have been trained here have led lives above the normal knights, being given equal standing in our order as those who have drawn the Sword of Evil's Bane. In fact, it was those of us who had been trained here that defeated the forces I spoke of the first time we met them."

"Again you say something about forces of the desert, yet you haven't yet named them." Link spoke, making Raven sigh as he placed his staff back down. "What exactly are they?"

"Beings that are considered the same strength as Iron Knuckles, yet far different in their design. We gave them the title of Dark Nuts since they have several forms to take, and are born from darkness as if in fields of seeds." Raven spoke, his staff now resting on his shoulder as he walked to the edge of the ring, soon walking around the circle. "In time I'll explain more, but that will be after you accept my offer."

"Offer?" Link asked, now confused as he looked to the area around them. Now that he was looking to the walls, he noticed something new: around it were an assortment of wooden weapons, all looking to be of peak of condition. There were several forms of swords, one similar to his original Kokiri sword, but there were other types he had seen the gerudo use, and some he recognized as the design from the Garo he faced in Ikana. Link then looked back to Raven as he heard a click from their staff, only to find that they had placed the disc back into it's spot on the staff. "What is that offer?"

"Ganondorf will march against Hyrule in at least five years time, this much I could gather from his last actions before I lost sight of him due to the witches Koume and Kotake." Raven spoke, causing Link to tense to the names of the witches as Raven looked to him. However, he kept from the subject as he continued his explanation. "Since you wish to protect the people of this land, I offer you a chance to do so through learning under me. To learn the arts that your bloodline allows, that way you may protect the people you can when the time comes of Ganondorf's return."

Link only looked at the man as he processed what he just said. "So you want me to be a Knight of Hyrule?" Link asked, making Raven only sigh as he looked at the boy. "You do realize that the stone that blocked the way recognized me as one, right?"

"It recognized your title and the potential you possess at the moment." Raven spoke as he looked at Link, his own gaze now amused. "The gem itself represents the potential title you hold within you, but it is nothing but raw and reckless power if you don't learn how to temper and harness it."

Link just looked at him confused before the man raised his hand, mumbling a few words again before two of the wooden swords flew off of the wall, each resting in front of both of them. "If you don't believe me, then simply defeat me in a fight." Raven continued as he tossed his staff to the side, gripping the weapon as Link looked at the wooden blade in front of him. There he was, a hero who had defeated countless enemies, saved a parallel world from a falling moon and a possessed mask, and he was being told that he had yet to temper his abilities.

"Fine, if it's only to prove you wrong." Link spoke as he reached out and gripped the weapon, soon taking an attack stance as he pulled his shield off of his back instinctively. Raven only smirked as Link realized what he did. Raven then chuckled as Link started to place his shield to it's former place on his back, making Link stop as he looked at him confused.

"It's fine for you to use your shield, it was my error in forgetting that you would need one to maximize your natural fighting style." Raven spoke as he raised his free hand, making Link only nod to him before the old man retook his defensive stance. A gleam could be seen in the eyes of the man as he held his blade up towards Link, one that seemed to be anticipation as Link took his own stance. "Now then, let's see how you can fare."


	2. Secrets

Link slowly moved around Raven, the old man's gaze keeping on him as he kept his shield up in preparation. Raven just kept in place, his weapon raised defensively as his gaze kept on the young boy. "I thought you were going to prove me wrong on your abilities." Raven spoke, making Link stop his movement momentarily as the old man turned to him. "There's no need to be worried about me if you think I can't take any attacks, I can handle myself quite easily."

Link just looked at the man as they took a defensive stance again. _'His loss.'_ Link thought, jumping to the side of the man before going for a thrust at the man's back, expecting to catch him off guard. However, Raven's blade moved like lightning, knocking Link's blade up as the boy raised his shield up instinctively, next feeling the force of the old man's attack push him several feet back. Link then looked at the old man in shock, Raven's gaze showing amusement as he placed his blade on his shoulder. "The handling of your weapon's grip is similar to the Kokiri fighting style, if I'm not mistaken." Raven spoke, his smile not leaving his face as he took his defensive stance again. "Good for battle against monsters and some heavily armored enemies, but not without it's own flaws."

With that he took an attack stance, immediately going for a thrust at Link. The boy only raised his shield slightly angled, causing the blade to slide up over his head as he went for a side slash. However, he found nothing as Raven's feet left off the ground, having him go over the boy and roll forwards as Link turned to him, immediately going for a downward slash. "One of these flaws is the way each strike is thrown." Raven continued, raising his blade to meet the slash and causing it to slide down the blade, Raven's feet turning him to where his blade was at the boy's neck, Link's shield arm not even moving as he looked at the man in shock. "You place too much power in your strikes. While you have a good defense immediately after your attack, you bear little to no defense within your attacks."

With that he pushed the boy away, causing Link to fall back as the old man stood up. "Now, come at me again while paying more attention to my counter attacks." Raven spoke, making Link only ready up again as the man raised his blade up. With a short cry, Link jumped forward again as he slashed downward, Raven's weapon rising up to meet it before angling again as the blade made contact, sliding the blade down to his right before he spun his own weapon down on Link's neck, stopping it into a light tap as quick as the slash began. The boy stopped immediately, his gaze on Raven's blade as the old man smirked. "If I was a Lizalfos or a Stalfos, you may have had the advantage. However, I am neither and have been honed through the fires of war."

With that, he lifted his blade up and tossed it to the side, raising his hand towards his staff as Link kept in place, looking at the man's back as his staff flew to his hand. "None of the enemies I've fought have angled my strikes like that." Link spoke, making Raven turn to him with a smirk as he looked at the young boy.

"None of your enemies bore a understanding of the Kokiri fighting style." Raven responded, Link dropping his own weapon as he placed his shield back on his back. "Though it's great in terms of defensive combat, it leaves the fighter open if they're the one pressing the attack. That, however, takes years of practice that peace loving races like the Kokiri don't need or wish for."

Link just kept his gaze on the old man as they turned back to him, snapping his fingers as the flames began to dim. "Now, I would like to grant you this offer, but I'd prefer the answer within the real world than in the false." Raven continued, making Link's expression change as the area around them began to fall apart.

* * *

It hadn't even been two seconds after Link had heard Raven that he found himself sitting beside the fire outside of the ruins once again, Raven looking into it as a green smoke swirled around it. "What…" Link muttered, finding himself sounding as if he was waking up from a dream as Raven stood up.

"Moss from the Lost Woods, capable of being used for illusionary magic that makes a world within the minds around that is similar to a dream tying people together, and with a natural magic that causes those who enter the woods to be lost without a fairy." Raven spoke, holding his hand over the fire as it began to die down. Link just stared at it in shock as Raven continued his explanation. "Though our battle may have been within the mind, the actions we took were very much our real ability."

"Then the place past that boulder isn't opened the same way?" Link asked, making Raven shake his head.

"No, it is opened in the same fashion as I instructed you, but the area we faced off in is nowhere near this place any longer." Raven sighed, his staff tapping the stone in between the grass as he looked back to the boy. "We are currently standing in what remains of those grounds, the rest of which had been moved to the current training grounds of the Knights. What rests behind that stone, however, is far more sacred."

"What is it?" Link asked, looking to the stone itself as Raven looked to it.

"Before that, you must first answer my offer." Raven spoke, making Link turn to him. "Will you train under me in order to face the threat that is to come?"

Link just looked at the man, his gaze hard on the stone as Link looked to it as well. "I already made my mind up when I had come here, and the threat of Ganondorf's return only strengthens my resolve to it." Link responded, looking back to the old man as he noticed a smile on his face. "If I can help as many people as I can, then I'll become a Knight of Hyrule."

"Then by my right as the Commander and leader of our clan, I shall name you as such." Raven spoke, stepping forward as Link kept his gaze on him. "I'll deal with the formalities later, but for now I shall let you see the truth behind what is hidden in this place."

* * *

The desert sun blazed overhead as a cloaked figure walked along the sands, the green skin on their hands evident as they pulled their hood higher over their face. He had been traveling through the desert for three days, his path guided by a feather given to him by Koume and Kotake as his answer to his failures at Hyrule. _"if you wish to still take Hyrule, my king, then you must look deeper in the desert to the West."_ Both had spoken when they had taken the form of Twinrova, handing him the feather. _"This feather, though insignificant at first glance, shall glow when you reach the place you wish to. However, the path to your goal will be kept hidden from actions of decades past, when you had yet to be born and three wanderers had ventured into it."_

His gaze returned to the feather, a red glow apparent from it as he kept his movement towards a small hill in front of him. _'Two years for them to make this feather, two years wasted because of that boy and the princess.'_ Ganondorf thought, his left hand moving to one of his canteens as he remembered the events. Though he had only seen the boy that one time, there was no doubt in his mind that it was his actions, which caused the revelation of his plans. As he remembered it, his hand clenched around the feather, placing it back in its pouch as he lifted his canteen and took a sip. As he made it to the hill, however, he noticed that the feather within the pouch began to glow bright enough to shine through it, making him pull it back out and look to it in wonder. With a new sense of resolve, he moved quickly to the hill, walking around it as the feather glowed brighter and brighter.

When he had reached halfway around the hill, however, the feather's glow vanished. Ganondorf only looked at it in confusion as he held it towards the hill, then away from it. Any direction he had moved it towards, however, the feather's glow vanished. _'With Twinrova's magic, that normally means two things.'_ Ganondorf thought, his gaze moving back to the hill and scanning the layers of it. _'Either the magic has worn off, which only occurs when it is broken, or it has completed it's purpose.'_

His gaze scanned every part of the hill, his eyes only revealing sand in it's wake. As he reached halfway up, however, he noticed what looked to be the top of a rock, making the man smile in it's cold form. Then, after a short walk to the area itself, he started to dig.

* * *

When Link had entered behind Raven into the entrance within the rock, he expected the same hallway as last time. What he had been met with, however, was a set of stairs. They had only traversed a few dozen, as well, before they had reached the grand door with they now stood at. "Before we enter, I must ask that you do not touch anything within this room." Raven spoke, looking to Link as the boy felt the tension in the air. "This is a place which the items inside are a memento to the fallen here, and are to not be touched by anyone other than the caretakers and members of the family lines."

Link only nodded as he looked back to Raven, the man's gaze firm as he turned back to the door and opened it with one big push, soon walking inside. Link took a few steps in, as well, before he stopped in his tracks at the sight. In front of him was a large circular room, the roof of which held the same design as the room in the illusion. However, the floor onward was completely different, holding several stairways that led further downward that also bore old Hylian words upon each path. In the center, however, was a wide space, with only a few coffins that sat around a large statue, the statue itself being of a warrior who held his blade up to the Triforce that was at the center of the room. Raven only continued to walk forward, Link following quickly as he noticed weapons that resided on each of the coffins.

"What is this place?" Link asked, Raven no longer chuckling at the boy's questions as they moved closer to the statue.

"This is the resting place of many Heroes of Legend, as well as the resting place of the Knights of Hyrule who were the pinnacle of our teachings." Raven spoke, moving his staff to point to the coffins surrounding the statue. "In the center rest the greatest of our commanders past, men who were the example of honor, duty, and the traits we hold at the highest regard. The weapons themselves are made of three different ores of which only our clan knows how to forge together, a physical representation of their standing in our ranks."

"Is Sky ore one of those?" Link asked, making Raven smile as he looked to the boy.

"Indeed it is, my boy." Raven responded, looking back to the statue in the center. "These weapons are only allowed to be used by those of the family line and cannot be taken from here under any circumstance save for a small few. One of these exceptions was during the Hylian Civil War, when descendants of these warriors took up their ancestors weapons and went to deal with those who had broken our oaths."

Link's gaze then moved back to the statue in the center, the figure looking more familiar as he noticed the similarities in the outfit to his own. "He has the same outfit as the Kokiri." Link spoke, making the old man chuckle as they finally stopped in front of the statue, allowing Link to see several weapons placed on the stone at it's feet. "Who is he?"

"The first Hero of Legend, whose tale is now only told by the Knights of Hyrule and the Sheikah who guard the Royal Family, as both were impacted the most by his actions." Raven spoke, looking up to the statue as Link looked to him. "He is the one who founded the Knights of Hyrule, and who returns in our lines when Hyrule is in grave danger. During his time, we were a great clan in our own right, protecting the Triforce with arts passed from him directly, along with several other abilities that came as time progressed. After the final years of the Civil War, however, much of that has been forgotten by the younger generations."

"How bad was the Civil War?" Link asked, making Raven look at him before he smiled. However, it seemed more somber than Link expected as Raven turned back to the statue, walking up to it.

"I'll tell you in a few years, after you've taken to your training." Raven replied, stopping at the base of the statue and reaching out to it. Link's gaze trailed from Raven's hand to the stone slab under the statue, revealing a sheathed longsword with a gold hilt resting at the base of the statue's feet. Raven then grabbed the weapon before lifting it onto his shoulder, looking back to Link as the somber look he had before had vanished, now showing it's more serious tone. "For now, however, I explain your first training regiment: meditation."

Link just looked at Raven confused as he signaled him to follow, walking directly behind the statue as he started heading for the other end of the room. Link followed immediately, soon looking past to see a large doorway with the symbol of the Triforce, making his eyes widen as Raven placed the longsword he had in between the two doors, causing the triangles to begin to glow as the door slowly slid open. "What is that sword?" Link asked as Raven put the sword in the same hand as his staff, the old man simply walking forward as he looked to the boy.

"The symbol of my rank and status, a weapon of which the forging remains secret even within our own order." Raven spoke, walking into the room as the two found themselves within another circular room, this one smaller and with five flames in the center of it. Each flame bore a different color; red, blue, purple, green, and yellow. Link stared at each one in wonder as the two walked into the center, where a table sat with no chairs around it. "It is also among the only items that may allow you access to the further areas of these ruins that are only accessible to those who are of the Knights. In time, it too shall rest within this place with my ancestors, when the time comes for me to take my final breath."

"But enough of the relics of this cemetery, for now is the time for you to find your path." Raven continued, stopping in front of the table as Link circled around to the other side, staring at it. Upon the table was drawn the insignia of the Triforce with the phoenix under it, and under that an upside down triangle. Resting in the center of it was a silver dagger, of which held a hilt similar to the Master Sword that Link had used in the future timeline. Then, Raven placed his hand on the dagger, sliding it to Link as the boy stopped it in front of him. "This test is set for those whose bloodline is unknown to us, and is used to ensure which family they belong to, normally during times where we needed to ensure the person could take a weapon from here. The task is quite simple; raise the blade, and the flames which coincide with your bloodline shall grow."

Link only nodded, staring at the blade as he gripped it's handle, the dagger seeming as long as the Kokiri sword he had used two years ago. Then, Link lifted the blade, watching each flame to see what would happen. As if in response, however, all five flames rose, making Raven's smirk only grow as he stood straighter, making Link just realize the man was only a foot taller than he was when he had been sent into the future. "What kind of family does it say I belong to?" Link asked, setting the blade back down as the flames lowered with it. Raven only chuckled, signaling Link to follow again as they went to the opposite end of the room from where they came in, allowing Link to see a black door that he couldn't notice before from the shadows cast by the flames.

"It means you hold attributes from each of the branches, which only lies within those who are among the main family." Raven responded, opening the door as Link followed behind him. In front of them now sat a long passageway, with the sound of the wind being clear on the other side. Link only looked at the hallway confused as Raven tapped his staff on the ground, causing the disc on the top of it to glow as he continued walking forward. "Those who belong to it hold a high affinity to magic and combat, as those of the Knights Line hold abilities and traits that make us several times stronger than the average soldier."

As they walked, Link noticed carvings along the hallway as they finally came into the clearing, each seeming to tell of a tale. Then, as if out of nowhere, they came into a clearing that seemed brighter than the rest, the stones around them seeming to reflect the light of the disc upward into a gem above them. With a tap of his staff, Raven released the magic causing the disc to glow, but the glow of the gem remained and showed the details of the room around them. "Incredible…" Link spoke as he looked in awe, Raven only smiling as he turned to the boy. All around them were different sets of armor, each holding a name under them in old hylian. Raven then moved to a chest that sat at the edge of the entrance, the looks of it showing that it was newer than a vast majority of the items within the room. "What is this place…"

"It is the armor of each leader of the Knights of Hyrule, which has been kept here with mementos of their deeds in times where we may call upon their aid again." Raven responded, setting his staff to the side as he opened the chest, pulling out a fairly large bag within it as Link watched. "The chest here is where the current leader places their own armor, only to be used when the call is sounded for the knights to go to war."

Link looked over Raven's shoulder as the man looked through the confines of the back he pulled out. From within the chest, he could swear he could see a white metal within it before Raven shut the chest, locking it before he stood up and turned to the boy. "Come, we'd best not stay within the confines of these halls any longer," Raven spoke as he picked his staff back up, soon walking past the young boy as he looked at him confused. Raven then stopped before he turned over to the boy. "If you wish to know more on the history of each leader here or view their armor, I'd suggest first attaining the strength and training to prove it."

With that statement Link simply nodded, following Raven quickly as the man walked back through the way they came. The glow of the disc once again lighted their way as Link looked over the pictures again, a question now forming into his head. "So I have a question, though I'm not sure if I'll get an answer," Link spoke as they made their way out of the hallway, Raven's gaze not wavering from the path as they made their way out, the door shutting behind them as if knowing they had left. "Do you know who my parents were?"

This made Raven stop in front of the next door, which had shut during the time they had gone into the room. "…Yes, I knew them, if they are who I believe," Raven spoke as he kept his face from the boy, placing the sword on the door once again to open it. As it opened, he began walking immediately, forcing Link to follow him. "Your father was more than likely the Knight Linus, who held a strength beyond what many had seen in ages. During his time alive, he had been considered among those with the potential to be the next Knight Commander after me. Your mother, Ilia, was a skilled healer, and a woman who held a powerful affinity to magic. Those of the splintered faction, in an act to harm us, killed Linus, and Ilia was nowhere to be found, but there were murmurs of an injured woman venturing into the Kokiri Forest, but that was as far as we knew. Given the events of the day of Linus' death, as well as the location Ilia fled to, it is more than likely that they were your parents."

"According to the Deku Tree, my mother had taken me before the tree but died from her injuries soon afterwards," Link spoke, his voice echoing through the vast room as they walked around the graves of the commanders. Raven kept his gaze on the path ahead, but it looked as if a weight had taken hold of his shoulders. "What kind of relationship did you have with them-my parents?"

"I had trained Linus personally as was the personal request of his father, and was among those who oversaw the marriage between him and Ilia," Raven responded as they entered the final hallway that led to the entrance of the tomb, his voice grievous as he walked along the path. "Never had I been more proud of a warrior I trained, and never had I felt more pain than when he passed away."

Link kept silent as he noticed hoarseness in Raven's voice, as well as the grip on his staff tightening while talking on the matter. Whatever had happened must have affected him severely, and had bore on him for a long time. "…Do you know how my father died," Link asked, looking to Raven as they made it to the stone that blocked the way, making both stop in their tracks. A silence hung between the two for a short time before Raven turned to the boy, his gaze hard.

"…I cannot give the answer you seek yet, as I have yet to muster the courage to speak it," Raven finally spoke, turning to the stone as he moved his hand to the inside of his robes, pulling out a white gem of a similar style to Link's. As he placed it on the stone, the doorway out began to open, showing the light of the sun hanging high overhead. Raven moved out into the path, Link following behind quickly as he continued. "When you have reached the age of thirteen, I promise to you that I will personally tell you the events of that day and of how your father died. However, the wounds caused by it still sting when brought up, despite what time that I have had to remember it."

To this, Link only nodded as Raven moved to the hut, walking inside as Link stopped just at the edge of the steps. "Well, he seems rather solemn despite reclaiming bits of his items," came a voice, making Link look overhead to find Kaepora flying above him. "The graves of ancient heroes, both remembered and forgotten, all rest in this place. It is said that they guard it in death, if any come to defile it without the rights of passage."

"I feel sorry for any who may try to," Link spoke as he looked to the passage, the doorway now sealed in the decorative designs of the stone once again. Link then looked up to the owl again, his gaze hardened. "Do you know of anything else of Raven besides the fact he is the commander of the knights?"

"Only that he had lost what remained of his family within the Knights order during the final years of the Civil War, and that it is only now which he has begun to try to push past the loss he has felt for the past decade," Kaepora spoke, making Link's eyes widen as he looked to the hut. Kaepora landed beside the boy, making Link look up at the owl as its head turned to the hut as well. "Give him the time he asks for, and he will eventually reveal that you wish to know."

With that, the owl flapped its wings, rising as Epona moved to Link's side, nuzzling the boy as he looked at the hut.

Several minutes passed as Link waited by the hut before Raven finally walked out of the entrance, this time in a far different attire and look than Link had first seen him in. his tattered cloak was now replaced with an outfit that seemed of a similar attire to how Link had seen in the clothing of some of the noble classes in the marketplace outside of Hyrule Castle, wearing a silver tunic with gold designs along the cloth, with the Triforce placed upon the upper left part of his chest. On his shoulders hung a common cloak with a similar design to the shirt on the inner parts of it, the outside being a normal brown while Link could only catch glimpses of a scarlet cloth on the inside of it. Outside of this, the blade with Raven took from the tomb now sat at his waist with several small pouches, while he still kept hold of his staff without any changes.

"Sorry for the wait," Raven spoke as he walked down, putting the staff under his armpit as he adjusted his sleeves. "It's been a while since I've had to wear this attire, and even longer since I've left this place."

Link only stared as Raven walked up to him, the old man looking down at the boy as Link noticed that the old man had cut his hair to a moderate amount, while at the same time he tied his beard together and had clearly trimmed it to where it was several inches less than it was before. No longer looking like a hermit, the old man looked more like the commander that he bore the title of. "So where are we going?"

"First, we'll be going to Lon Lon Ranch so I may find myself a horse, given my relations with Talon," Raven spoke, catching Link's attention as Raven walked past the boy. "Then we'll head to the castle town marketplace to stock up on supplies for the journey afterwards."

"Where will we be going after that?" Link asked, making Raven smile as he turned to the boy.

"After that, we'll be heading directly to the old training grounds north of Zora's Domain, where many of the greatest knights have trained," Raven spoke, turning back to the path before he began his walk again. Link pulled himself up onto Epona and followed behind, the horse trotting at the same pace of the man as they made their way to the entrance. "During our travels I'll teach you some of the basics of the sword and shield stances within the Knights, but the way you implement them will depend on how you use them over time. This will give me a good understanding of what kind of style to train you in later on."

"Okay then," Link responded, the two now moving to the entrance of the area as he kept his gaze to Raven. "Will there be anyone at the training grounds as well?"

"There should be, it's among the few places we have kept secret for countless generations," Raven responded, his gaze focused on the trail as his staff tapped upon the stones. Before long, the two had made their way through the pathway and were making their way to the gate in between them and Hyrule field. "In older times we had trained some soldiers we deemed worthy upon the grounds as well, but those days have long passed."

Link just kept his gaze on the man, noticing him move his cloak to where his outfit couldn't be seen through it. However, his mind soon wandered on what Raven said of Ganondorf, and of his potential return. _'What threat lives in the desert that can pose a threat as great as Ganondorf from the former future...'_ Link thought as he looked up at the sky, soon hearing a humming coming from Raven as the old man kept ahead.

* * *

It had been several hours since Ganondorf had started digging around the stone, but he had managed to get a fair amount of the upper part cleared. _'The ancient race said to have lived here since before the Gerudo settled in the valley...'_ Ganondorf thought as he backed away from the structure in front of him, his gaze now looking upon the upper layers of an arch. upon it were various inscriptions in old Hylian, but the translation was known to all who lived in the desert: 'To those who journey through the desert, beware the entities within this cave, for ye who threatens to awaken them shall unleash a force of far greater evil than the world has seen in centuries.'

"The cavern exists..." Ganondorf simply muttered, a sinister grin curling on his face. Then, as if a new power revitalized him, he turned and left the arch to return to the valley. He completely intended on returning, and with a group of Gerudo to help clear the sand from around and under the arch. Then, once the work was done, he would see what evil truly sat in the cavern within. But until then, he could only prepare: prepare for his aims within the cavern, and for his return to Hyrule itself...


	3. Supplies and Attire

The sun had just reached the center of the sky as Link rode into Lon Lon Ranch with Epona, Raven not too far behind as he walked with his staff. As he did so, he noticed Talon standing in front of the cow pens talking to Ingo, while he heard a familiar singing voice as he slowed Epona down to a stop as Raven walked up beside him. As the old man did, however, Talons gaze turned to him in shock as Raven tapped his staff on the ground, causing it to stand in place as he left it where it was. Link just followed behind as the rancher moved to greet Raven, a smile on his face as he did so. "Well, I haven't seen you around these parts in years Raven," Talon spoke, a smile on his face as he placed his hand on the old mans shoulder, soon turning his gaze to Link. "And I see you've come here with one of our regulars."

"This is the first I've heard of him being a regular," Raven responded as he turned to Link, who just looked down towards Epona embarrassed. Raven then chuckled as he turned back to Talon, a smile clear on his face. "I guess that means he has more of Linus in him than I thought, if he's making his way to Lon Lon Ranch so much."

"Linus," Talon asked as he looked over at Link, looking him over as he kept his smile. "I had my suspicions with his hair and eyes, but his tunic threw me off when I first met him."

"You knew Linus," Link asked, his eyes now on Talon as the man's smile began to fade, a more somber look now in his eyes.

"He was a regular here, getting supplies for the troops at Hyrule castle while his wife was a good friend of Malon's mother," Talon spoke as he looked over to Raven, concerned. "You mean he doesn't know who his family is?"

"Not completely, but he knows of Ilia and Linus' fates and the kind of people they were," Raven confirmed, turning over to Link as Talon kept his gaze on the old man. "Can I ask you to wait for a bit while I talk to Talon in private. There are some things I need to discuss with him about."

"Sure," Link responded, confused by the sudden change in Talon's tone and demeanor. Talon, on the other hand, only walked over to Link and patted his shoulder gently.

"To think that you really were Linus' kid," Talon spoke, some of his cheer returning as he turned over to Raven. "Let's talk over in the house. I have a few questions that I need answering as well, now that I have them."

Raven only nodded as he walked over to the area, Talon soon following as Ingo just moved back to working. Link, on the other hand, soon moved Epona to a trot as he went towards the singing. As he did so, his eyes soon found a red-haired girl standing in the center of the horse tracks, the horses around her slowly grazing as she kept up her song. Epona, hearing the tune, moved through the fenced area, moving towards the girl faster as she stopped singing, now noticing the two. "Fairy boy," the girl shouted as she ran over to him, a smile on her face as Epona slowed down to a stop in front of her, nuzzling the girl as Link got off of the horse. "What brings you here today?"

"Hey, Malon," Link spoke, keeping his gaze on her as Malon gave a light hug around Epona's neck. "I came with a knight who is looking for a horse to ride, but it looks like he has some things to talk about with your dad."

"A knight," Malon asked, her eyes sparking with interest as she looked over to Link, immediately moving closer to him. "Does that mean you're going to become a knight like you wanted?"

"Hopefully," Link spoke sheepishly, backing away from the sudden attention he got as Epona nudged her head into Malon's back. "He plans to train me first, and in order to do so we have to go somewhere up north past Zora's Domain, after getting the necessary supplies for it."

Malon just kept her focus on him as she moved to where she could pet Epona, who was still aiming to catch her attention. Outside of the few friends he had, Malon was one of the closest who knew he wanted to become a knight, and had been pushing him to aim for that. When he was rejected from joining the trainees for the Hylian soldiers, she was the first to know about it and spent time with him that day to keep his spirits up. "Well it's nice to see you finally getting something you wanted," Malon responded, her smile still clear on her face as she looked over at his chest. "What's that you're wearing?"

Link looked down to what she was staring at, soon seeing the white gem he had obtained from the entryway to the old grounds he found Raven. During their trip towards Lon Lon, Raven had told him the gem was meant to be worn as a necklace, regardless of how the stone had wrapped it around Link's arm. Despite that, however, Link felt a bit odd wearing it like he was now, though at the same time feeling like it was right. "It's a necklace signifying that I'm going to be taught by him," Link said, lifting the necklace off his neck and handing it over to Malon, who just raised it up into the sun and stared in wonder. "It apparently signifies the rank I'll might get while I'm training with him."

"Seems a bit much though, doesn't it," Malon asked as she lowered it, handing it back to Link as Epona finally moved to eat with the other horses. "Either way, it's great to see that you're finally getting what you want."

"Yeah," Link replied, smiling before he turned to look back to the house, where Raven and Talon were talking. "Also, Talon seemed really strange with how he acted with the Raven, the knight I came with. He apparently knew him and my parents."

"Dad knew your parents," Malon asked, her gaze widening as Link nodded. "Why didn't he tell you?"

"He didn't figure it out till Raven said something about it," Link responded, making Malon look at him confused. "Turns out Raven had trained my father to be a knight, and had been close to him from that time onward. I was honestly surprised about it myself."

"So your father was also a knight," Malon asked, only getting a nod from Link as the two began to walk to the center of the fenced area. "Well, I guess that means I won't be able to call you fairy boy for long."

"All for the better, in my opinion," Link responded with a laugh. The name came from their first meeting, and she had even kept to calling him it in the future timeline, and it had been annoying in a sense. Regardless of how he felt about it at first, however, he begrudgingly found that he was starting to like it. "Either way, do you want to play some music for the horses?"

"Depends on if you've brought your ocarina," was all Malon responded with, making Link smile as he shuffled into his bag and pulled out the small blue instrument. Then, with a smile on her face, Malon began singing as Link put the ocarina to his lips, joining into the song as the day continued.

* * *

Link didn't know how long he played his ocarina with Malons singing, but by the time they had finished they noticed Raven and Talon coming out of the house and towards them, Talon seeming a bit more like his usual self than before while Raven had his staff back in his hand. "So that's where the music was coming from," Raven spoke, looking at the two kids as Link put away his ocarina. Talon, on the other hand, moved to grab a brown horse near Malon as Raven looked to the two. "Music has always bore power in the world we live in, so it's always good to hear it continued."

"You sure you two don't want to stay for lunch," Talon asked as he waved Ingo over to take the brown horse beside him. The tall man just huffed as he walked over from the barn, Talon's gaze returning to Raven. "Malon's been learning how to cook recently and has made some incredible meals."

"Sadly time won't allow us to, if we want to reach our destination without any problems," Raven responded as Ingo took the horse from Talon, moving to the barn as Raven's gaze returned to Link. "And given our destination and this boy's attire, we're going to need to get him some clothes to be able to go through the weather without issues."

"Still running short on time then, Raven," Talon sighed, looking to the old man before he looked back to Link, his mustache moving as if he was thinking of something. "I think I have something that's a good parting gift for both of you, regardless, now that I know who his parents are."

With that Talon turned and ran to the house, reminding Link of his first meeting with the man waking him up. _'He seems more awake this time around, though he's hardly ever been outside of the house with all his cuccoos,'_ Link thought as Raven turned to Malon.

"So I'm guessing you're Talon's daughter," Raven spoke as Malon looked down sheepishly. "You certainly take to your mother more than your father, though."

"That's what Talon says," Malon replied, looking back up at the old man with a smile. "So are you really going to be teaching Link?"

"As well as I'm able to, though I feel his training will be based on how he can implement it," Raven spoke as he looked over to Link, a smile clear on his face. "Despite his age, he has enough experience to withstand attacks which would knock men several times his size back, so I hope to see great results from him."

That made Link look down at the grass with his face burning red. Though he had fought though the future of Hyrule and Termina in order to save both, he wasn't expecting this praise he got from Raven after their own match showed the clear difference between the two. "I hope so, he'll need to eventually find something that will keep me from calling him fairy boy," Malon responded with a smile, making Link's face grow redder as Raven chuckled.

"I'll try my best to make sure he does," Raven chuckled before he turned, Talon running back at the same speed as before as Ingo walked towards them with the horse again, now with a saddle and reins. "Seems Talon is eager to bring you what he wanted."

As he finished his statement, Talon had finally made it to them, panting as he had his hand had hold of what looked to be a blanket holding something. "It took a while to find it, was sitting in the same chest as my wife's old items," Talon panted as he handed the makeshift bag over to Raven, who took it before he unfolded it. As soon as he did, however, his hands trembled as he looked at the contents while Link and Malon moved to look at it. Hidden in the blanket was a set of silver gauntlets, both inlaid with a golden design of the Triforce on each of them with white gems in the center. "Linus had those made for you shortly before his passing, meant for us to keep them here till it reached your birthday. I think he'd want you to have them now, given circumstances."

Raven just stared at them, nodding as he wrapped them back up. Then, he turned and handed them back to Talon. "As much as I would like to take them, I can't hope to yet without it hampering my training of his son," Raven spoke as he looked to the man, a small smile on his face. "In the meantime, can you hold onto them for a bit longer?"

"Of course, take your time," Talon responded, nodding his understanding as he looked over to Link. "It's still a shame I didn't realize who he was the son of till you told me about it, though. I'll need to do something to make it right with Linus and Ilia before I reach the afterlife."

"Well don't go counting on that yet, Talon," Raven responded as Ingo finally made it to them, his gaze as harsh as ever as he looked over to Raven and Talon. Raven just nodded to Ingo, pulling out a few blue rupees from somewhere under his cloak before handing them to the farm aid before he pulled himself up onto the horse. The immediate sight of the rupees changed Ingo's look completely as he looked at the compensation he was given. "I'm sure that out of anyone that has met him, your family has done the most through giving him a horse and a friend through Malon."

"I hope you're right," Talon responded as Link looked over to Malon, who just stared at Raven as the man kicked his heels lightly into the horse, starting it into a trot. "You should at least go a few rounds around the track before you make your way out, though."

"Knowing how long it's been, I think I'll take you up on that," Raven spoke as he looked back over to Link and Malon. "Link, once I've gotten my old memory of riding back, we'll be immediately departing to the Castle Square to get our gear for the trip."

Link only nodded before Raven turned ahead of him, now kicking into the horse harder and taking off out of the open gate, turning immediately onto the track as Malon watched on. "So he's a knight," Malon asked as she watched Raven riding around the track, Talon now standing beside the two kids as Ingo moved to go back to the barn. "I imagined him to look more dashing..."

"If you gave him a good shave and haircut, you'd probably see him as something like your imagination," Talon responded, making the two kids look at him confused as Talon watched the old man ride. "I expected the death of his wife and Linus to affect him worse than this, though, so it's good to see that he still walks among the living at least."

"He lost his wife in the Civil War," Link asked, making Talon look at the boy with a more somber smile.

"He lost far more than that," Talon spoke, looking back to Raven as Link remembered Kaepora's words on Raven's loss. Malon noticed the tone change in Talon's voice, and looked over at him worried while Epona moved over beside Link. "Link, I know I shouldn't put this on a kid, but promise me that no matter what happens, you'll stick by him."

"Sure, but why are you-"

"There we go, seems my riding hasn't ended up too sloppy," Raven spoke as he came back into the fence, interrupting what Link had to say as he looked over to Link. "We should start making our way towards Castle Town while the sun is still up, the last thing we need is being on the other side of the gate when Stalchildren rise up."

Link only nodded, looking back to Talon as the man walked past Raven. "Don't go overworking yourselves now," Talon spoke as Malon followed, her worried gaze still there as she walked up beside her father. Link only processed what Talon had said before he turned and pulled himself up onto Epona, focusing his mind on their current task as Raven looked over to him.

"Shall we," came Raven, only getting a confirming nod from Link as the two started moving out of the gate. As soon as they did, Raven snapped his reins and let his horse move into a gallop, Epona following quickly behind him as the two Hylians made it to the exit of the ranch, now moving directly towards the gates of the castle town. As Link looked at the sky, he noticed that the sun had already reached the edge of the horizon, reminding him of how long the day had currently been.

"Once we get to Castle Town and get our supplies, we won't be able to leave till tomorrow morning," Raven spoke as he looked over to Link. "During that time, I'd like us to make a stop at the castle itself so I may discuss some matters with the king."

"Okay," Link spoke as he looked ahead towards the castle gates, soon seeing it closing in already as the sun hung fairly high over the West. "What are we going to be getting for the trip?"

"some supplies and gear for the journey," Raven spoke as the two made it past the draw bridge, soon coming to a stop as a guard moved to meet them. "But more importantly, I think you should get an outfit outside of your tunic, given the major conditions we'll be going in."

* * *

Raven's horse was soon stabled as Link let Epona run out into the field, knowing how much she wouldn't like being locked in a stable after how long they'd been traveling. After the arrangements were done, Raven and Link ended up in a deeper part of the castle town than he had known about before, taking a turn just before the main market square to find a wider area with different stores. "I'm guessing you already know this location," Raven asked as he looked over at Link, who shook his head as they moved towards a tailor. "This place is an area where nobility or high officials tend to use for obtaining clothing. Since we'll be visiting the castle after our supplies are made for, I think it'll be a good thing to have an outfit ready for the trip over there."

As soon as they entered the shop, a fairly slender man turned from a set of cloth and bowed to them. "Welcome to Nayru's Bliss, how may I be of service," the man spoke as he raised his head, causing Raven to smile as he walked to the man. By the time he made it to the man, however, they were smiling. "Well, Raven, it's been too many years."

"It's been some time, Romon," Raven spoke with a smile, patting the man on the shoulder. As he did, Link walked in behind him, looking over the area in detail. Before him was a room filled with various forms of cloth, from silk to cotton to several other kinds he hadn't seen before. He could swear he saw some of the same cloth used by the Gorons and Zora's for the Hylian gear they sold. As he finally made it to Raven, the old man patted Link's shoulder. "I'm here to get this boy some decent clothes for when I head to Hyrule Castle with him, as well as some clothes for the trip into the colder regions north. Don't want people thinking little of him because he couldn't pick out his wardrobe."

"Understandable, given the position you bear," Romon responded with a smile, looking Link over with interest. "Your clothing isn't like any I've seen for some time… Tell me, is it made out of materials from the Lost Woods?"

"Uh, I think so," Link spoke, surprised at his immediate guess and how close it was to the truth. "I don't know about the materials themselves, but the clothes are all made in the Kokiri Forest."

"You mean the mythical home of the children of the forest," Romon spoke, puzzled. Link only nodded before the tailor looked up at Raven. "How long will it be till you head to the castle?"

"Sunset," Raven responded as he looked over to Romon, Link himself noticing a glint in Romons eye. "I could've gotten the clothes at another place, but I picked yours since I know how fast you can work with attire."

"I haven't been renowned for my trade from working with nothing," Romon responded with a smile before looking down at Link again before looking to Raven. "If it'd be alright, I'd like to lend him some clothes while I work with the tunic he currently has. With a basis to go off of through his clothes, I should be able to make something that he could consider comfortable before sunset."

"That's not up to me here," Raven spoke as he looked over at Link, who just turned from the tailor and back to Raven confused. "While it is ideal for you to have proper attire, whether or not it fits is up to you, if you want."

"…If it's alright, I'd like to see what he can do with them," Link spoke, getting a giant smile coming from Romon as the tailor ran into the back to get Link some new clothes. In truth, his Kokiri outfit had started to become smaller than he could wear compared to before, despite him having an adult set in the future. Regardless, this wasn't the adult timeline where the tunic had fit snugly, and he'd need to eventually have some better attire for later on. As he thought this, the tailor had come back with a darker green tunic with some brown pants to go with it.

"There's a room to change in over by the more defined cloth to the right of us, if you need it," Romon spoke, getting a nod from Link before the boy took the clothes from the man, turned, and moved towards the area. While Link moved, he heard their conversation progressing over the price of it all as he moved past the threads to the left of the shop entrance, soon finding the room in question. Then, taking off his cap as he entered the room, he shut the door.

* * *

The two men continued their talk on the prices until they heard the click of the door shutting, to which their conversation changed almost fluently. "So you two will be heading north after your trip here," Romon asked as he walked over to his work table, getting a simple grunt of confirmation from Raven as the old man rested his free hand on his sword's hilt. "Does that mean he's your new student?"

"One that is far more eligible than the others people have shown me over the years," Raven spoke as he looked to the man, a smile on his face. He then tapped his staff onto the ground, causing it to glow lightly for a brief moment before he looked to the entrance. "Looks like the Sheikah are overlooking this area already, despite my attempts to keep my reappearance small till I enter the castle grounds."

"Understandable, they haven't seen you outside of the old grounds in over a decade," Romon spoke as he walked over to his worktable, a smile still clear on his face as he pulled out a small piece of paper and pulled an ink well over to him with a clean quill. "So the boy, I haven't seen him among the kids that have been with the current Knights. What makes him so special to enter the old grounds?"

"He's Linus' son, and the boy who warned the Royal Family of Ganondorf's deceit," Raven spoke, making Romon stop momentarily as he was reaching for a quill. "If it's alright, I'd like you to keep quiet on your involvement with the Knights for now."

"That way you can teach him from the ground up," Romon asked as he began drawing a design on the paper, his eyes overlooking it as if not caring for the answer. "No need to worry on my part, and you won't need to worry over any of the other Knights and their students interfering with your training. Most of them are either training abroad or over near the training grounds near the Gorons."

"That's good to know," Raven responded as he moved to the wall beside the worktable, leaning back as he looked towards the entrance of the area. As he did, they both heard the door to the changing room open, soon causing Romon to finally tear his gaze from his work as he turned to see Link walk out from behind the silk with his old clothes in his hand. Link just looked over his clothes as he walked out behind the area, the Tunic being a tad bigger than he was used to while the pants had to have the belt better wrapped around them in order to hold them up. As Link looked up at Raven, however, the old man gave a nod to him as he moved off the wall. "Now you have an outfit that fits with the locals. Now, we find some gear to prepare for our journey."

Link only nodded, moving to hand over his Kokiri clothes to Romon as he felt the wind on top of his head, making it feel colder than he usually was. "I can keep your hat in mind while I work on your attire for tonight," Romon offered, making Link look up with a smile.

"Sure, if it's possible," Link responded as Romon placed the clothes by the sketch, now pulling out a ruler as he sized up the clothes themselves.

"I'll have your payment ready by sunset," Raven spoke as he motioned Link to follow as he walked past him, making the young boy follow as Romon looked over the Kokiri clothes one last time. Then, turning back to his sketch, he went back to work.

* * *

 _Authors Note:_

Alright, got this thing finally finished up after some time, though I started writing this thing only a few weeks ago due to feeling a urge to write this story again, so expect it to have some additions and changes to this chapter over time. However, I feel like the major stuff I had planned for this should come later on in the next chapter, so I hope you guys are ok with the wait for that bit. In the meantime, though, how is everyone feeling about the story so far?

Also, sorry that this chapter is shorter than usual, hopefully the next ones will have more to them.

In the meantime, this is Ron signing out


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